To Become a God
by Shirosaki-sama
Summary: First ever fic! What would've happened if Ichigo became a hollow in the shattered shaft, then an arrancar under Aizen's command? A world of trouble for the Soul Society. Ichigo will become the king. Dark, Pairing undecided. PM me for votes/ideas please!
1. Friend

**XXX-G01D gets credit for the inspiration to write this fic. And this is my first story, so please be nice....**

"Well well, well, what's this?"

He jerked upright, tail lashing about violently.

He almost fell asleep that time! An unpleasant sight greeted his yellow eyes. Before him stood a panther like adjuchas, and another adjuchas that looked like an insect with six arms. His solitary eye was fixated on Ichigo.

Their reaitsu was powerful, and threatened to strangle the very life out of him, right here and now. The newly born adjuchas hissed at them, and held up his fingers into a point. The two seemed surprised as a cero began to from in the trio of digits.

"Back off!"

"Easy easy!" Said the second adjuchas, raising one hand placatingly.

"We ain't here ta kill ya." Growled the panther.

Confused, the lizard like hollow lowered his hand.

"Then whaddya want?"

"You're close to becoming a vasto lorde, right?" Asked the panther.

"Maybe... Grumbled the lizard.

"Maybe my ass!" Spat the the insectoid hollow. "Is it a yes or a no?!"

"What's it to ya?!" Snapped the lizard adjuchas.

"What's it to you?!" He snapped right back.

Out of the blue, they each stared laughing.

"Nnoitra Jiruga." Introduced the insectoid hollow, holding out a hand, which the lizard reluctantly shook. "And the bitch ass panther here is Grimmjow."

"You got a name, gaki?"

"Ichigo. Ichigo Kurosaki."

--

It was his turn to get the food.

Ichigo briefly felt sorry for the hollow that he was about to kill.

He struck with all the grace of...

Well, with the grace of a berserk lizard that was looking for food.

His jaws opened as he smashed into it at his full speed, ripping out a small portion of skin from its legs, just before he shoulder rammed it. The creature was pretty small so the impact _literally_ blew it away. "_First success today... er, tonight... today. Oh, damn it._" thought the adjuchas, running towards the motionless Hollow. It was short, stocky and, much to his surprise, still alive – that is, as much alive as a spirit of a deceased human being could have been.

The hollow slung the unconscious creature over his shoulder and began walking back to the cave where he stowed his food supply.

He made less than five steps before he heard a loud "Stop."

He turned around and shuddered in fear. The intruder had appeared out of nowhere. The lizard was now facing _another_Adjuchas; this one was a bit larger than him, yet smaller than Nnoitra. It stood on four hoofed legs and displayed a far more interesting palette of colors – while he was a hollow with white chalky skin and red lines and orange hair, this one was mostly green – it had green fur and angry green eyes, glinting through the slits of its grey mask. Very close behind it tiptoed an other low-class Hollow; it was fairly thin and tall and it looked deeply frightened.

"_Fuck._"

The Adjuchas was carefully observing him. After a moment of silence it spoke in a very calm voice "Put him down." His eyes widened. He could've left the Hollow here and look for another meal...or well, get killed by the stranger. Both perspectives were not particularly alluring. The Adjuchas braced himself and answered:

"I have hunted it down, so it belongs to me." The announcement was followed by a poor imitation of a nonchalant shrug. "If you want your own, why won't you devour the one behind you?" The Adjuchas shook its head

"He is my companion, not my food, if you failed to notice. Same goes for the one you're holding and, let me assure you, I'm not going to leave him to you as your... _loot_." It spoke the last word with distaste; its gaze fixed upon his head. "_Now that's definitely the end._"

"No." exclaimed yet another voice "That's not _his_. It's _mine_!" Ichigo whipped his head around, just in time to see who it was. It was Nnoitra, speeding towards them, his horned mask shaking on his head from the incredible velocity. The other Adjuchas blinked, visibly confused.

"Who are you and what _the hell_do you want from us?" it asked, unable to keep its eyes off the hole in four-armed Hollow's skull. Kurosaki wasn't really surprised; Nnoitra's mask scared the living hell out of him.

"My name is Nnoitra Jiruga and at first I wanted to eat that little Hollow friend of yers," said the Adjuchas; all jaws on his mask stretching in the terrifying smile. "but now I have a better idea – we'll fight."

"I have no desire to fight you." the other creature replied "I only wish you'd let go of my friend" it gestured towards the unconscious Hollow which was still being held by Ichigo."Release him and we'll peacefully continue on our way..." The response was drowned by Nnoitra's outburst of wild laughter.

"Are ya really that stupid or d'ya pretend?!" the four-armed Hollow seemed amused. "Look, let's solve it that way: we'll fight for the pitiful life of this Hollow of ya. If I win, I eat both you and yer... _companions_." he paused, sliding his enormously long tongue through one of the mouths and licking his mask. "If, by any chance, ya win, then ya can devour me... and do whatever ya want with this useless slab of meat." he gestured towards Ichigo. The stranger Adjuchas pondered for a moment and then slowly nodded.

"I guess I have no other choice..." Nnoitra laughed maniacally; he was visibly excited and eager to battle. It seemed that fighting, along with hunting harmless Gillians, was one of his favorite pastime activities. The pale Adjuchas raised his four long-clawed arms and lowered his horned head.

The other higher-class Adjuchas looked as it wasn't happy with the outcome of things. The creature didn't look much like a fighter – yes, its massive horns and heavy hooves were a threat not to have been ignored; yet it possessed none of the Nnoitra's violent eagerness. For it the battle must've been not much more than an unpleasant compulsion.

Nnoitra attacked first, slashing his sharp claws at the other Adjuchas' chest. The creature ducked the blow with astounding ease; Ichigo then noticed that Nnoitra's eyes widened in shock; yet his partner succeeded to block the counterattack without much effort and fiercely launched another attack at the other Adjuchas. The claws barely missed the opponent. Nnoitra emitted a sharp, frustrated shriek – none of his strokes has reached the target yet and it was a situation he wasn't able to accept.

The longer he was watching the duel, the more it reminded him of some kind of a graceful, violent waltz: a cut – parried; a smash – countered; and again; the blows and counters stretching into an endless dance. Both of them were excellent warriors; similarly experienced and skilled; their fight was truly an interesting sight to behold.

"Looks like he bit off more than he could chew." Laughed a voice, and Ichigo didn't have to look, to know that it was Grimmjow that had finally caught up to them.

"Sh." He muttered under his breath. "I'm trying to watch the fight."

By now, Ichigo was watching the two Adjuchas with awe, completely focused on their smooth moves, as enchanted. His pondering was interrupted by the Hollow on his back – it was slowly regaining consciousness, stirring nervously in his strong grip. Ichigo calmed the annoying thing with a properly placed tail blow to the head and again concentrated on the fight.

Much to his surprise, during those few seconds of his inattention, the fight had taken a turn for worse. One of the green Adjuchas' strokes had reached Nnoitra; his pale body was now adorned with a long, red gash in his chest. The wound didn't look particularly life-threatening; it only angered the four-armed creature and made him attack even more viciously than before. Astoundingly, the other Adjuchas ducked every slash of Nnoitra's long claws with ease and its counters were getting harder to parry – to the point when Nnoitra wasn't able to block them.

A strong blow to the head struck the lanky Adjuchas down; gasping in disbelief, he fell to the ground. The smaller creature was now towering upon him, preventing him from moving and eyeing the fallen form with contempt.

"Looks like I've won, Nnoitra Jiruga." it said mockingly and slowly raised one of its legs to deal a finishing blow. The other Adjuchas tried to roll away from the certain death, but it proved to be futile. "Finish it!" he blurted out in his last effort, readying himself for the end...

... which surprisingly did never come.

Grimmjow sprang like a rocket, and smashed into the green Adjuchas with all his might. He wasn't _that_concerned for Nnoitra; he just felt that his sense of honour – the matter of its existence wasn't important right now – _wouldn't_ allow abandoning the person he had partnered with, willingly or not. Besides, if he survived this, something told him it'd be fun to see these two fight again.

The attack itself didn't affect the Adjuchas much, yet it managed to blow the creature away from Nnoitra, who rolled over to his stomach and spat very loudly:

"Who the fuck told ya to help, Grimmjow?!" the pale Adjuchas shouted furiously, trying to stand up. The panther snorted in contempt. "Shaddap. If I hadn't stepped in, then you'd be paste by now." The other creature was looking at the panter; the green slits in its mask glinting with confusion. There was a long moment of silence before the smaller Adjuchas finally stated:

"It's a real shame that when it comes to fighting, you have to depend on such a _useless slab of meat_, Nnoitra Jiruga." There was no mockery in its voice, just seriousness mixed with boredom.

Grimmjow however, did not take kindly to this. "The hell was that?!"

"Now order this ally of yours to let go of my companion and we shall leave." Ichigo had actually _forgotten_ about the Hollow he was holding; he loosened his grip and the creature fell onto the ground. The other low-class Hollow jumped towards it, shouting as if it were no tomorrow – which technically was a fact.

"Dondochakka! Dondochakka! Y'OK?" The previously unconscious creature suddenly jumped up and greeted its friend with a warm, literally breathtaking hug "Pesche! You don't even know how scared I was when this ugly beast took me hostage! I was sure that it would devour me!" it exclaimed, glancing up at Ichigo with distrust. The lizard just shrugged.

The winner exchanged one more look with the loser. "This time I'll spare you," it said, putting an emphasis on word _spare_ "but don't expect mercy the next time we meet." It turned away and began to walk away, the two Hollows obediently creeping beside it.

Nnoitra, still lying prostrate on the ground, raised his horned head and shouted to the receding Adjuchas "Wait! At least tell me yer name, so I'll know whom to look for!" The creature stopped and looked at the battered figure.

"Neliel. Neliel Tu Oderschvank." it replied after a moment of pondering; then it turned away and resumed walking, not turning back even once. Ichigo and Grimmjow were observing it until its silhouette faded in the darkness; and they didn't move for a long time after its departure. Finally Nnoitra broke the silence.

"Lets find something to eat."

--

(Much later: Soul Society)

"What's so funny, Aizen? It's over." Yoruichi growled, hands unconsciously tightening on the cloth. Soi Fon seemed to sense her irsritation as she shifted slightly to better balance her weight on her leg. The atmosphere cackled with unspent spiritual presence like a notched arrow ready to fire. Amused eyes met her sight steadily.

"It's time."

The two simple words triggered an alarm in the cat-women's head; Yoruichi barely registered the traitor's smirk as she lashed out with her gut feeling.

"Soi fon get away from him!"

It was a good thing Shinigami were trained to fallow orders. Soi Fon's unused ability to pick out Yoruichi's voice over the battlefield was the only thing that saved her from the Menos beam that seemed to tear out of the sky, ripping a gaping hole to nothingness. The beam shot down milliseconds after the shout, barely missing the former and current Division 2 Captains as the vaulted nimbly out of the way, eyes widening in surprise. Long, clawed fingers appeared at the edge of the crack, tearing and ripping at the wound in the sky.

The Soul Reapers standing on the execution hill gaped.

"Gillian! How many of them are there!?"

"Wait, there seems to be something else in there!"

Slightly off the side of the beam, Hisagi peered at the sky, sensing a second before the next beam shot. He tensed slightly, prepared to jump back-

And narrowly avoided being grabbed by stared at his captain with sadness in his eyes, as the beam came down, effectively walling him off. "Taichou! Why are you doing this?!"

At the same time some meters away, Rangiku faltered, loosening her hold slightly as she turned to stare at same patch of sky her fellow vice captain had; a deft twitch from the prisoner's wrist snapped her out of it. Shocked, the 2nd in command from the 10th division snatched back her hand not a moment too soon; feeling no resistance from her hostage as the oddly shaped beam of light illuminated her childhood friend.

"Too bad… it would have been nice if my capture lasted a bit longer" Rangiku felt her eyes sting slightly as Gin turn to face her with a bitter smirk. The normally cheerful female prowled in her own mind. _Why are you doing this? Where are you going? Why are you leaving me behind, again!?_

"Farewell, Rangiku." he sighed, expression confusingly mixed. "Sorry".

By then, Aizen's beam had started to flow upwards, taking a chunk or rock along to allow the traitor to stand. Pain flared when Byakuya tried to tilt his head for a better view on what's happening around him; the only thing that kept his body together was his spine, after all. Finally admitting defeat to his physical condition, he settled for staying as still as possible and straining his ears. From his limited point of view, three pillars seemed to be holding the sky up instead; his ears only caught the tail end of the explanation given by the Captain of Division 1.

"Aizen has gone out of our reach." A small shockwave reached the patch of rocks he has been laying in, directing Ichigo's attention to the Fox Captain.

"TOSEN!" Komamura roared, struggling out of the boulder blankets that kept him from moving.

"GET DOWN HERE, TOSEN!! EXPLAIN TO ME, WHY HAVE YOU BECOME A SHINIGAMI?! WAS IT NOT FOR YOU'RE FRIEND? WAS IT NOT FOR JUSTICE!?"

Burning golden eyes pierced at the blind traitor as the Captain of 7th division stood upright, blood still dripping off his fur. "WHERE IS YOUR JUSTICE NOW?!"

As the commotion went on, he spotted his vice-captain a few meters away. "Renji." He hissed calmly. Every breath he took hurt; it was hard to tell where one ache began and ended. The redhead shifted slightly in response. The captain shifted as he propped his upper torso up slightly to breath easier.

"Why're there _four_shinigami in three beams?" The strain proved too much for his battered body after Byakuya gasped out the question.

"Wha—" Zambimaru's user twitched and tried to roll himself over to get a better view on the action going around them.

He failed.

"shit. Shitshitshitshitshit. Fuckin' hurts." Renji groaned slightly as he relaxed back onto the dirt. "Taichou, describe the fourth guy for me, will ya? Can't see."

"I can't be quite sure, but from here all is see is two people in one o' the beams." The retort did not reach Renji's ears since Tosen started speaking again. The two downed fighters on the floor strained to hear the conversation, confusion plainly clouding their heads.

"As I told you before, Komamura," The darker skinned Captain shrugged, shifting so his free sandaled feet rested lightly above his ex-Vice Captain's neck as a warning for the younger shinigami to be silent.

"The only paths I see with those eyes are the ones not dyed in blood. Those paths are the paths to justice. So, whichever I choose, is the Path of Justice."

"A few casualties are always expected for the greater good." Agreed Aizen, looking down at the shinigami he had ruthlessly slain before his forced departure.

Amongst them was captain Mayuri, and his lieutenant.

Byakuya raised a trembling finger, and pointed it at the negacion.

"Byakurai."

The bolt of white lightning rocketed from his fingertip. Like a bullet, it streaked towards his target, like an arrow, it flew straight and true towards its mark...

Only to bounce off the barrier, and explode harmlessly into the dirt.

"Spiritual energy works differently in the _Negation _Beam, haven't you been paying attention?" Ichimaru smirked and observed the twitching body straining for balance.

"To sink all the way to allying with Menos. What are you trying to do, Aizen?" Ukitake demanded, unable to remain silent any longer.

"To go higher."

"Have you Fallen in the process, Aizen!?"

Byakuya heard no more, as the blackness took him.

--

His eyes snapped open, and he rose from his crouch.

"What...?"

He frowned as the rip opened less than a foot from him.

"Negacion. Looks like someone got their ass kicked, eh?" This comment came from a six armed insectoid like hollow next to him. His single eye reflected wry amusement, and he licked at his lips.

"Shaddap Nnoitra."

"Is Grimmjow back yet?"

"Nah, he's still hunting."

"Wanna go see who the idiot is this time?"

"Might as well."

The vasto lorde picked himself up, and rose. He stood tall, around the 5'11 mark. Spiked, segmented armor ran down his shoulders and arms, with a hollow holw just between his chest and sternum.

His mask resembled more of a human skull, complete with a jaw joint and rounded forehead. From the back of the mask, four spike-shaped marks stretched, two of them stopping by the forehead, and the other two stretching past the eyes and teeth, going past his chin and joining with the marks on his chest, which was a chalky white color, just like the rest of him.

Ironically, there were also small marks resembling a heart, but with the top and bottom open, extending from the inner corners of his eyes. The mask's most prominent feature was two long forward-pointing horns with black strips extending from their center towards the tips. His hair was long straight hair, and his hollow hole, located in the middle of his chest, was decorated with markings stretching from the void, across his chest and shoulders. His fingers finished in clawed tips, as did his toes. Lastly, there were small furry tufts, two starting from his collarbone and stretching around his neck, and one each on his wrists and ankles.

He looked like the devil himself, but aside from the demon mask, he looked almost human.

He walked down the sand dune, and Nnoitra kept an almost easy pace with him, preferring to move at a more leisurely gait compared to that of his partner.

Just as they neared the rip, three figures emerged.

He looked hard at the two men.

One of them was a man with brown hair and eyes, and exuded an impressive aura. The other one was clearly the weaker of the two, with silver hair, slitted eyes, and a fox-like grin.

The last wasn't particularly special, and the high class hollow didn't give him so much as a second thought.

"So, you've come back here again. Its so _nice _to finally meet you, shinigami." The way

The brown haired man raised an eyebrow, seeming to forget that the Gillians around him even existed. "A Vasto Lorde and an adjuchas waiting for me as soon as I arrive? I have to admit this was a an unexpectedly pleasant surprise."

He extended his hand in greeting.

"I am Sosuke Aizen. I-

The vasto lorde hissed and cut him off.

"You intend to lead the hollows in a war against the shinigami, and turn the more powerful hollows into arrancar so they can get even more power, is that about right?"

"A vast oversimplification, but it will suffice, yes. After the war with the shinigami is done, I intend to work for the betterment of the entire hollow race."

"I couldn't care less about the hollow race." Snarled the adjuchas. "Is it true that turning into an arrancar will make a hollow stronger than he already is?" The vasto lorde with the strawberry blondish hair spoke this part.

"Yes, that is correct."

Nnoitra now wore an expression of pleased interest, as did his partner. "Good. I might be thinking of joining you, after all, more power is never a bad thing. But, I'm not going to follow someone who's weaker than I."

The vast lorde's tail lashed out at the ground, creating a snapping sound. "So, why don't we fight? If you're strong, I'll follow you. If you're weak, I'll devour you and take that orb of yours."

Aizen drew his sword. "That sounds fair to me."

The vasto lorde licked his lips.

"Stay back, Gin. This battle will be a little above your capabilities." Ichimaru was more than happy to comply. He had no illusions about his own skill level. He was good, but a Vasto Lorde was said to easily be able to defeat a captain level Shinigami, and getting in the middle of a brawl with a Vasto Lorde _and _Sosuke Aizen did not strike him as a good way to keep on living.

He'd rather take on the adjuchas.

Aizen held his sword out. "Kudakero, Kyoka Suigetsu (Shatter, Mirror Flower Water Moon)."

"Shoot him dead, Shinsou."

Nnoitra dropped flat as the blade whizzed over his head.

"Too slow!" He cackled, then sprang at Gin, leaving Aizen to the vasto lorde.

The vasto lorde didn't wait for Aizen to attack. Holding up his hand, he began to pour power into his cero. Even as the ball of red energy began to collect on his fingertips, he felt something pierce his side, and he realized that Aizen was no longer in front of him.

'_Talk about speed! I couldn't even see him move!' _He thought as he looked incredulously to his right, seeing Aizen smiling at him, sword buried in his side, just below the red armor covering his chest. The brown-haired Shinigami pulled the sword out.

"Come, that can't be all a Vasto Lorde has?" His tone was polite, but it carried an overtone of superiority, like he knew that he was above the two of them.

And he didn't like it one bit.

With a lightning fast move, the hollow's tail cut out at Aizen.

Only for the man to disappear, his tail slicing through an afterimage, much like the one that he himself could use when he went fast enough. At the same instant Aizen disappeared, Ichigo felt a tearing pain down his side, as his muscle along his left flank was laid open.

Aizen reappeared a little ways away from the Vasto Lorde. "Have I sufficiently proven my strength to you?"

The wound in his side still dripping blood, Ichigo snarled, "There's a big difference between being strong and being _fast_, Shinigami."

"True, but what good is strength if you can't hit your opponent?" With that, Aizen disappeared again.

Hollows were basically creatures of instinct. The stronger ones, and the menos were able to think logically, but they were still far more in touch with their instincts than any Shinigami, or human. The instinct that screamed at Ichigo to duck, to dodge the blow was the only reason that he didn't end up losing his arm. It would have grown back, but still, losing an arm _hurt_.

Ichigo reacted instantly to the attack, barbs on his tails extending as all of them pierced through the Shinigami, only for him to vanish again an instant before they impacted.

He appeared next to the vasto lorde.

"Byakurai."

The blue-white bolt of lightning that tore through his body and exited out his back leg was about three inches wide. Gasping, Ichigo collapsed as his body was run through with high powered electricity.

However, his tail had now curled around the shinigami's leg.

"My turn." He hissed.

Even as Aizen was starting another spell, Ichigo was moving.

His tail cracked menacingly whipping Aizen sharply down into the sands, the back spine on his shoulder extending and enlarging as it burrowed into the sand, trying to get into position for a surprise attack.

By the time Aizen had recovered, Ichigo was next to him, his clawed hand coming up to disembowel the Shinigami while two of tails came around to impale him.

Aizen leaned to the side to dodge the first tail, caught the second one between two fingers, and used his Zanpakuto to block Ichigo's hand, the blade cutting deep into the palm.

Ichigo started laughing, and Aizen began to move just as the snake tore up through the sand right under Aizen's feet. The jaws snapped shut less than an inch away from Aizen's foot, and Ichigo brought his other tail around at the same time he retracted the first.

Aizen dodged the blow, but as he tried to move away Ichigo gripped hard on the sword, not letting Aizen retreat, and in the instant it took for Aizen to release his sword, Ichigo had brought his other hand around for a strike.

Aizen moved with the blow, and managed to take only a slight graze, the skin barely broken by the strike.

Before Ichigo could move for _another_strike, Aizen pulled his Zanpakuto from Ichigo's grasp, his grip having loosened once Aizen was no longer holding onto it, and in one fluid motion, Aizen had the tip of his sword pressed against Ichigo's mask. "Have I proved my strength to you?"

Ichigo's eyes darted between Aizen and Gin, who had Nnoitra under his foot, before settling on the brown-haired shinigami. "Yes. You are strong, and so I will follow you, Aizen. I... will join you."

Saying such a thing felt like acid in his mouth. _'At least until I'm stronger than you. Then I'll drag you down and crush your skull.'_

Aizen lowered the Zanpakuto. "I'm very glad to hear that." Aizen walked over to him, seeming to not have a care in the world. Kneeling down, he placed one hand over the wound in Ichigo's shoulder, the wound that went diagonally through his entire body.

Reiatsu flowed from his hand, and his wound began to heal. "Why are you healing me?" Ichigo questioned.

Not taking his eyes off his healing efforts, Aizen responded. "You are my new comrade. Comrades are supposed to take care of each other. I do not find it wise to leave a comrade injured."

By this point, the wound was mostly gone, and Ichigo, who had nearly blacked out from the immense electrical surge through his body, winced, his eyes narrowing and his body tensing.

"Please do not move, it makes it harder for the healing kido to work." The hollow looked at him untrustingly.

When Aizen was done, he stood up. "Perhaps we should be properly introduced. I am Sosuke Aizen. My lieutenant is Gin Ichimaru." He gestured to the smiling, silver haired man standing off to the side.

"Ichigo Kurosaki." The lizard-like Vasto Lorde ground out.

Aizen's eyebrow raised in interest. "Ichigo Kurosaki? You wouldn't happen to remember if you were related to Isshin Kurosaki, would you?"

"I don't remember much about my life before I was a hollow, nor do I care."

Aizen nodded in acceptance of his words. "Perhaps it would be best if we were to retire to Las Noches. You can meet the current Espada there, and it is there that I will use the Hogyoku on you ."

Ichigo blinked. "Hogyoku?"

Aizen smiled. "You will learn what it is in due time. Now, if you would walk with me?" Aizen turned and began walking towards a cliff that held a passage to the upper level of Hueco Mundo, this one ending right outside Las Noches. Ichigo followed, the place where the wound had ran through him still a little tender, but he wasn't about to let any of them know that.

After they had walked for a while, Aizen began to speak again. "The Hogyoku is an invention by a Shinigami scientist named Kisuke Urahara. It breaks down the barriers between Shinigami and hollow, allowing hollows to gain Shinigami powers, and vice versa."

"You mean there are Shinigami who can use hollow powers?" Nnoitra questioned.

"Yes. They are called Vizards. They do not have a true hollow form, at least not one that they can use."

"Bullshit!" The insectoid adjuchas hissed. "If they can't use it, then what's the use of them having hollow powers?"

"They form the mask over their face, which grants them an incredible increase to their speed, strength, durability, and any reiryoku based techniques that they utilize."

"Why do we need the Hogyoku?" Replied Ichigo. "I can understand the Shinigami needing it, but the Arrancar have been around since long before you and the Hogyoku came here, so why are you going to use it on us?"

"First, the Hogyoku instantly breaks down the barriers between the two races, without it, it's a very long process. Second, the Hogyoku results in a more complete transformation, making you far stronger than you would be if you transformed yourself into Arrancar without it." At the interest and eagerness in the two hollows' eyes, he knew that he had them.

By this time they had reached the cliffs, and they went into single file line to get through the narrow passage. Aizen took the lead, with Ichigo following, then Nnoitra, and then Ichimaru bringing up the rear. Ichigo considered attacking Aizen while his back was to him, but his explanation of the Hogyoku granting a more complete transformation, and hence, more power, dissuaded him of that idea.

'_Besides, I doubt he's stupid enough to leave his back to me unless he's absolutely certain that I can't kill him from this position. The blind one and the creepy one I can handle, but The speed he showed in our fight was incredible... Even his lieutenant took out Nnoitra in basically one move. Granted, he's is more about power than endurance, but still, anyone who can take out an adjuchas in one hit is no one I want to fight unless I'm sure I can win.'_

No one spoke until they emerged onto the top portion of Hueco Mundo.

Ichigo stared in shock.

Las Noches, or at least they assumed this was Las Noches, was an enormous domed structure that stretched for miles. "How the hell did I never see this?" Ichigo asked.

"Oi! Who the hell're these two?" Growled Grimmjow, appearing from nowhere again. He padded up to his partners, and fixed them with an inquisitive stare.

He'd been acting strange lately.

Ichigo filled the panther in on the details of his and Nnoitra's embarrassing defeat. Grimmjow grinned, exposing his teeth. "Figures. You two idiots really suck, ya know that?"

Ichigo had to restrain Nnoitra before he tried to kill Grimmjow.

When they entered Las Noches, they were in for another surprise.

"Why the hell is there sunlight in here?" Nnoitra grumbled to himself.

"Ah, that was my idea." Aizen said. Unlike before, Aizen didn't go in depth on his explanation. "Please, follow me. The chamber is just ahead."

The three of them ducked out of the sun and into a vaulted tunnel. "Who built this place?" Ichigo wondered. "For that matter, _how_ did they build it?"

"No one knows, for either question." Aizen said. "Anyone who might have been around at the time is either dead or refuses to talk. Apparently it was so long ago that the only ones who would know are the older Vasto Lorde."

"Well, that sucks." Nnoitra muttered as the doors swung open....

--

The rest was a painful blur, a sonic sway of images that ended with an earsplitting cracking sound. He woke up and screamed in pain, his hand flying to the right side of his head.

Skin.

He felt skin.

Gasping, he jumped up, and looked for a reflective surface.

He could still feel his mask. It was there, or rather, _part of it was_. It was still there, but now only part of it covered his upper left face. On his right ear, at the area where you would get your ear pierced, the whole edge was covered in the remains of his mask, from the top to the bottom. The top then curved up and attached itself to his face, running down his cheek a bit. But not far enough to be very noticeable. He brought his hand up and touched it with his fingers.

"What the hell...?"

"Shaddap!" Snapped a voice.

Ichigo stiffened.

That sounded like...

"That you, Grimmjow?"

A figure walked out of the shadows.

There was no mistaking the voice, or the way the man held himself. He already wore clothes, and his mask fragment was on the right side of his face, reminiscent of his time as a hollow.

In his sash, he had a zanpaktou, which sported a crooked metal S for a guard.

"A' course it is."

He tossed Ichigo some clothes, which the vasto lorde quickly donned.

"Now get yer ass dressed and pick up yer zanpaktou." Retorted the arrancar.

Ichigo, now fully clothed **(His outfit is a white version of his bankai outfit)** looked down to see a blade laying a foot or so away from him.

"Eh?"

He walked over to it.

It was a long, elegant blade, that resembled an over sized butcher knife, but had a curved guard in the form of a three pointed shuriken. The blade itself was split into two colors. The edge itself silver, but the upper half was the purest of pure white. It seemed to emit a humming sound, as he got closer.

Grimmjow gave a low whistle.

"Damn, he's a fine blade."

Silently, Ichigo reached down to clasp the cloth wrapped hilt.

His fingers curled about the soft handle.

Almost immediately, the cleaver was warm to the touch. This was no _he_. Everything about the blade felt distinctly feminine. It was a living part of himself, warm and pulsating under his fingers, clearly longing for his touch. Despite its obviously masculine appearance, its guard was elegant shaped like a curved, three pointed shuriken

_Hello, Ichigo. _Came a woman's voice.

_"What the?!"_

_Calm down. My name is Zangetsu, and I am your soul cutter. _

_"Soul cutter?"_

_I will speak to you later...._

**Hope u liked the first chappy!**


	2. Fraccion

(Weeks later)

He stalked down the halls, his hands jammed deep into his pockets.

"I do _not _want a Fraccion, and I sure as hell don't need one." Ichigo ground out. Grimmjow had been reunited with the group that he'd traveled with as an Adjuchas about a week and a half before, and Nnoitra had already taken one as well, but Ichigo hadn't seen the need for a Fraccion, and hadn't taken any of the available Numeros as his Fraccion.

"Seriously Ichigo, a Fraccion will make your life _much _easier, not to mention a hell of a lot more entertaining." Nnoitra smirked a toothy grin as he remembered some of the shit that Tesla had already gotten into. "Besides, there are a lot of _new _ones down here. Aizen's been transforming Adjuchas into Arrancar like crazy, and he's already started hunting down the Vasto Lorde." He turned his gaze onto Ichigo. You might find someone down here that'll be good as your Fraccion."

Ichigo scoffed. "I don't need a fucking servant! If there's anybody I want to talk to I'll see them myself, and I sure as hell don't need someone to protect me."

Nnoitra laughed, then stuck out his tongue, mocking Ichigo.

"I hear some of em are pretty good lookin...

Grimmjow chuckled.

"Is that why you picked Tesla? He's a dude, ya know."

If you hadn't known Nnoitra, then you'd think the "Shut up before I kill you!" Act was real. However, Ichigo and Grimmjow knew their friend all too well, and whenever he exploded like that, it meant he was hiding something.

All the arrancar had been gathered, but as of yet, only Grimmjow, Nnoitra and Ichigo had been guaranteed a rank as espada. The unlikely trio were by far the strongest, even with Nnoitra only being an adjuchas.

"That's not all they're good for, you know. I find that beating on them is a great way to relieve some stress, and I know you're itching for a fight." Commented Grimmjow

That much was true. Ichigo, Grimmjow and Nnoitra had been named members of the Espada, although they still didn't have numbers, Aizen wanted to get all the Vasto Lorde together before he started assigning ranks. Unfortunately, one of the rules Aizen had was that the Espada were not to fight each other under any circumstances save for battles to determine position that were refereed by either himself or Gin Ichimaru. His exact words had been: "I don't want you killing each other off before the war even starts." The punishment for breaking this rule?

Death at the hands of Aizen himself.

Incidentally, he'd had to make that rule after Grimmjow and another Vasto Lorde, named Ulquiorra Schiffer, had gotten into a scrap. Grimmjow actually had been winning until the guy brought out the second stage of his Resurreccion. That fight was also where the rule that Vasto Lorde class Arrancar weren't allowed to release their Zanpakuto inside Las Noches came from, the two of them having destroyed well over half of Las Noches before the fight ended. Thanks to the near ceaseless work of the Numeros, Gillians, and other hollows that Aizen had pressed into service, the damage was mostly repaired, but now it had been over two weeks since Ichigo had been in a fight, the last one having been against the three members of the former Espada, they hadn't technically been pushed off the Espada yet, but at the rate Aizen was going, it was only a matter of time.

"What possible satisfaction could you get from beating the shit out of someone who can't even scratch you if you stand still and let them hit you?"

Grimmjow smiled. "I never said it was satisfying, I said it was good stress relief."

"I could get more stress relief if Aizen would just send me on another mission to collect a Vasto Lorde."

"He sent Ulquiorra out on one not too long ago, and he's expected to return soon." Grimmjow's smile had disappeared.

"I don't get why Aizen won't send us out on any more Vasto Lorde retrievals. We got Ulquiorra, didn't we?" Ichigo complained.

"I think he's scared that we'll kill the Vasto Lorde before they get here." Laughed Nnoitra. "We almost killed the emo bastard, remember?" The trio smiled at the memory before moving on.

By that point the two of them had reached the barracks where the Numeros were housed. "Just look at a couple of them, and if you really can't stand any of them, I'll never bring it up again." Grimmjow extended his hand.

"Deal." Ichigo agreed, and they shook.

"Alright, there's a common area up here, feels like there's a bunch of them in there." Nnoitra took the lead, striding into the Numeros' common area, all of them freezing as three Espada walked in.

"Alright, get up ya lowlifes!" Barked Nnoitra.

Ichigo was using his Pesquisa, trying to see if there were any Numeros in the area that were actually worth taking as a Fraccion. "Find anything?" Asked Grimmjow. One caught his attention. The first was slightly stronger than the others, and had a calm about it that intrigued him.

Following it to it's source he found himself standing in front of a young woman.

Petite and attractive, she had purple hair with slightly parted bangs pulled into a long braid. Her expression was melancholic, but there was life in her distinctive green eyes. Her uniform consisted of a short white kimono with a white _nagajuban _under it. She wore a traditional wide white obi with a red cord fastening it. On her left sleeve is was ironically the hilt for her zanpaktou, which was an odaci with a segmented hilt and a spiked guard. In addition she wore white gloves that covered only the back of her hands and wrists; as well as a red choker.

The funny thing was, he didn't see a mask fragment or a hollow hole on this one-Ah.

There it was.

His hand ran behind her neck, and she stiffened. He felt a small plate there, perhaps an inch or so across, but nothing more. Slowly, he withdrew his hand, and she now looked at him fearfully.

"What's your name?" Ichigo asked.

She didn't answer.

"Your _name_." He growled.

"Nemu, sir." The smaller Arrancar responded meekly.

She was rewarded with a smirk, as his hand lightly caressed her face.

"Would you like to come with me, Nemu?"

She nodded once.

"Hai."

Ichigo turned and walked out of the room, but not before sparing her a meaningful glance. "Then come." Grimmjow right beside him and Nnoitra following after them at a more leisurely gait. After a stunned instant, the girl hurried to obey, and ran after Ichigo.

Grimmjow looked over his shoulder. "So she's the one you want, huh? I told you there are some good Numeros down here."

"Yeah, and she aint to bad lookin...Teased Nnoitra, watching her breasts bounce as she ran to catch up with them.

"I'm taking her to the training grounds. If she can fight well, I'll take her as my Fraccion. If she can't I won't bother taking a Fraccion, since she had close to, if not _the _strongest reiatsu there."

From behind the two of them, Nemu listened intently. She knew who she was following, who had just selected her as the sole candidate for his Fraccion.

Ichigo Kurosaki had been a Vasto Lorde before becoming an Arrancar under Aizen's command. He was also the strongest of the three current Vasto Lorde that were in Las Noches. To become his Fraccion would put her on a tier far above any of the other Numeros.

That was the dream all Numeros had, to be selected as one of the Espada's Fraccion. They got to live in better quarters, eat better food, and all they had to do was follow their Espada's commands. The Fraccion also had a lower chance of dying than the standard Numeros, since they were usually close to their Espada.

"Well, I'm going to go see if Aizen will give me a mission, I'm about bored to tears. See you later Ichigo." Grimmjow turned off down a side path. Nnoitra yawned now. "Well I'm off to go kick some ass." He cackled as he walked away, meaning he was most likely going to 'train' Tesla again.

That meant a beatdown was in order.

For a brief moment, Ichigo pitied the fraccion.

"Good riddance." Ichigo muttered under his breath. The two of them might be the closest thing each other had to friends, but Grimmjow drove him crazy at times, and Nnoitra wasn't acting himself lately. Looking back over his shoulder, he saw Nemu still following him.

When the two of them reached the inside dome of Las Noches, Ichigo turned to face his possible Fraccion.

"Release your Zanpakuto, and come at me with everything you have."

Nodding quickly, She pulled out her Zanpakuto, wanting to make a good impression on the Vasto Lorde.

"Rip: Ashisogi Jizō."

'Nemu's Zanpakuto dissolved and her form was surrounded by smoke.

When the smoke cleared, her form had changed. Her hair had grown longer and thicker, and was deprived of the braid, leaving her long locks to billow out of her shoulders. Feministic armor rested on her legs now, from her feet to knees. A golden brassier was worn over her ample chest, and hips, the section having joined at the back, where thin, golden wings now bloomed. Her mask fragment had grown to cover her mouth and chin, giving her an almost ninja like appearance. Her sleeves were now gone as well, exposing her bare arms, which looked like they had gold dust on them.

She opened her eyes, and they were still the same stunning green color.

"Konchiki Ashisogi Jizō. (Divine leg cutting jizo)" She breathed out, and he blinked as the mask retracted from her face, folding back onto her neck. Almost immediately, her energy level quadrupled.

**(Background music: Bleach OST Showing off)**

"You have a high level of reiatsu for a Numeros, but that's useless if you can't use it. Show me how you fight." Ichigo put his left hand in the pocket of his pants. "To make this a little easier on you, I'll only use one hand, and I won't draw my sword."

Nemu suddenly appeared behind him, and he hissed in surprise, catching her hand just before it would have hit his face. _"Fast!" _His eyes were wide as he struggled against her for a split second. A wind whipped up, and her hair blew around them.

And then the spikes came out.

He had no idea what kind of ability this was, but hair turning to deadly needles capable of impaling him...

That was anything but good.

Ichigo let go of her a second before they would have hit him, dropping flat on the ground, intending to sweep out her legs-

She flapped her gossamer thin wings, and some of the dust flaked off.

He coughed, breathing in the plume of dust, but managed to lash out at her. Surprisingly, she flapped with her wings again, and took to the air, denying him of his target.

"Oh, so ya want an aerial battle?"

He tensed his legs to jump-

But found that his body wouldn't the way it wanted to.

"What is this?" He mumbled, flexing his hand into a fist, but with some difficulty. "I feel...heavy."

"Ashisogi Jizō's special ability." She called down from the air, beginning to descend even now. Anything my pollen touches becomes instantly paralyzed. It scrambles the signal to your brain and prevents it from sending the signals-

She was behind him again, he could feel the rush of air from her sonido.

-And from moving!"

And he ducked low as her leg swung over his head, depriving her as he evaded a _vicious _kick to the leaned with the blow, then tucked himself into a ball and rolled away, to come to his feet some distance away.

"But how?!" She gasped. "You couldn't move-

He lowered his head, to reveal his eyes.

They were a glowing bright blue, as if the sky itself were shining behind them.

"Your right, _I_ couldn't move."

He rolled his shoulders, and grinned.

Behind him, the silhouette of a woman wearing dark robes appeared. She had a hand clasped on his shoulder, and a serious look in her eyes.

"But Zangetsu, she's a different story." Ichigo grinned slyly. "Ya see, she _really_ doesn't like to lose."

Nemu just stared.

Zangetsu whispered something in Ichigo's ear, and the espada grinned as she vanished.

It was not a pleasant grin.

"Alright, now I'm gonna use _both_ hands. "Lets see what you can do."

Nemu flexed her hands, and he was surprised when claws extended from between her knuckles. **(Look's like Wolverine's) **Not wasting a second, she charged at him, bringing her arm up for an attack. Ichigo caught her hand blade on his knee and pushed the other hand at him, but the blades were stopped when they met his bare chest. Her eyes widened. Ichigo was said to have the toughest Hierro of any Espada in history, but for her to not even be able to scratch him while she was in _released form_?

_'How powerful are the Espada?'_ she wondered.

Ichigo threw off the blade that he was holding with his finger, and backhanded her across the face, snapping a part of her mask, which she had used to shield her lower face, as he did so. Nemu flew back, twisting in midair so that she landed in a crouch, both feet on the ground, and one of her blades dug into the sand to stop the momentum.

Her head whipped up to see Ichigo standing behind her, watching with a bored expression. "And Grimmjow wondered why I didn't want to take a Fraccion. You had among the strongest reiatsu out of all the Numeros, and yet you can't even scratch me. If you became my Fraccion, I'd have to spend all my time saving you."

Nemu swallowed once in fear, but then gritted her teeth. She stood up, eyes blazing. "You think I'd slow you down?" She nearly snarled at Ichigo, despite the miles wide gap in their power. "I don't need anyone's pity, and I don't need _anyone's_ help!"

She opened her mouth, and dark light began to resonate from the back of her throat. Ichigo used Sonido to get back a pace, and just in time to. Less than a second later, she blasted a cero from her mouth. Ichigo rolled his eyes as the violet blast arced towards him.

It wouldn't even leave a scratch.

But Nemu had a trick up her sleeve. For behind the cero, was a bala.

Brown eyes narrowed as blast increased, both in speed, size, and overall velocity.

"Kuso!"

He was slightly impressed with the ingenuity, but not going to admit that to anyone. Now he _had _to block it, or it was going to sting. He held his hand out, the cero stopping dead in mid-flight as it slammed into the skin on his palm. The bala's power faded as it spent it's energy trying to keep moving against an impenetrable barrier. Ichigo calmly crushed the cero in his hand.

Nemu moved with surprising speed to land a slash to Ichigo's side. Ichigo took the hit without flinching as the blade clashed harmlessly against against his skin. She was very skilled in the use of Sonido, but he didn't have much in the way of hitting power, Ichigo noted, and commented on.

"You're speed's higher than normal, but your attacks lack power." Ichigo commented in an offhand way, which only served to infuriate the Numeros.

"Don't talk down on me!" She cried, lashing out with a leg-

Which Ichigo caught, just above her thigh, stopping her cold.

Startled, Nemu blushed.

Ichigo spun, swung her around, then pinned her to the ground with enough force to hold her there. He brought his hand back, held it together in a tip-

Then launched downward-

Just as her claws pressed themselves to her throat.

It was a tie.

For a moment, nothing happened, as neither gave the potential death blow.

After a moment, Ichigo sat up.

"Enough. Seal your form back."

She did so.

"Stand up."

She did so."

"You'll do, I suppose." He shrugged lightly. "You listen to my orders, you're skilled in sonido, and you think on your feet. We need to work on your power though."

"Arigatou, Ichigo-sama." She bowed low-

"Uh-uh." He held up a hand and poked her in the forehead, she winced, and then blinked as he shook his head. "No formalities. Just 'Ichigo' or 'Kurosaki' will do."

"Um...thank you then, Ichigo." She said this with a light pink blush.

_Attention, all espada and their fraccion report to the throne room. _Came Aizen's disembodied voice, as projected from a hidden speaker somwhere around here.

Ichigo shrugged and began walking in the general direction of the castle...

"Let's go then, Nemu."

Nemu squeaked in surprise when he scooped her up bridal style. Now she was blushing a deep, dark cherry red.

"K-Kurosaki-kun?! W-What're you doing?!"

"It's faster this way." He replied. She flung her arms around his neck, just before he took off in a blur. If she hadn't she doubted he would actually drop her, but still, the speed he was now moving at was terrifying to her.

Within a second, they were back inside the castle. He set her down with surprising gentleness, and she stumbled a bit. Crying out in surprise, she flung her arms around the first thing she could to stop her fall. She ended up throwing her arms around her neck, and falling forward into his chest by accident.

His hands instinctively moved to her hips to steady her.

She turned cherry red and sprang away.

"Uh, uh-um....

"What're ya blushin' for? C'mon, we gotta get going."

"Arigatou." She whispered, sometime later, as they walked down the halls.

"Eh?" He looked over his shoulder. "What're you thanking me for?"

"For carrying me, and taking me as your fraccion." She replied.

He snorted, and looked ahead again.

"Just earn your keep around here."

They were nearing the throne room now, but entered another room instead. It turned out to be Ichigo's quarters. "You'll be sleeping here." He stated, pointing to the nearby cot.

He placed a hand on the door, but paused, and glanced at her.

"Your training starts tomorrow."

"Hai." She nodded.

"Oh, and your hair, put it back into the braid."

"My...hair?" She reached back, to feel at her braid should be, but sadness marred her face when she realized it was down. "B-But I don't know how."

Ichigo blinked. "Then how'd ya get it like that?"

"My... father used to tie it up for me." She suddenly looked incredibly sad.

_'Father? What is she talking about.'_

Ichigo shook his head.

"Ugh, hold still."

She blushed madly as he got behind her, then his fingertips brushed the back of her neck, the part that was just beneath the mask. She uttered a wordless scream.

"N-Nani?!"

"Hold still." He snapped, fingers working delicately, yet rapidly as he tied her hair back. "I can't make the braid if yer squirming around." At this she complied immediately, and did not move.

"Good girl." He breathed, and it took every fiber in her being not to shiver as his hot breath touched the back of her neck. "Gah, your hair is stickin to yer skin." He grumbled, peeling it off, as it was matted with sweat. Every muscle relaxed just then, and she practically melted back into his arms.

He was forced to pull the hair off her sweat soaked back, and it took quite awhile to do so. He had to lean forward to tie the knot, as the lighting inside Las Noches, especially his room, wasn't very bright as of yet.

He blamed Grimmjow and Ulquiorra's fight for that one. They were still having power glitches thanks to that little scuffle.

Everytime his fingertips brushed the bare skin of her back, she had to bite her lip to keep herself from whimpering, a terrifying mix of both ecstasy, and terrible, terrible fear. She wasn't fully covered by the hakama anymore, thanks to the blow he had dealt her during the fight...

And every time his hand ran over her back, everytime he breathed in her ear, she felt the warmth in her core build, just a little more. It wasn't entirely noticeable at first, but within five minutes, she had devoted every part of herself to _not _groaning.

But it was seriously getting to be too much!

Just when she thought she couldn't stand it anymore-

"Done."

"H-Huh?" She sounded slightly dissapointed. "Done with what?" She had completely forgotten what he was even doing in the first place, so intoxicated had she been by his touch.

"I said I'm done." He replied, holding up a mirror for her to look into. "See?"

A dazzling smile lit her face as she observed the perfect braid.

"Wai! Thank you!" She bubbled happily, briefly hugging him, and in doing so, her large breasts mashed up against his chest. Now it was Ichigo's turn to flush, but it was so quick that she missed it.

"Erm...c'mon! We're gonna be late!" He barked, shoving the door open...

**Aw, Isn't Nemu-chan just _adorable_? (Shakes head) And such perverted thoughts too... I didn't want to copy Neon-san with the fraccion, so I decided to make Nemu-chan an arrancar! I did mention that Aizen killed her, but Mayuri lived cuz he turned himself to liquid. But i still don't know who to pair Ichigo up with...Maybe Lisa-chan? **

**Note: For a picture of what female zangetsu looks like, go to: Bleach GB: Zangetsu :D by ~Rivania**


	3. Overprotective

**Note: Ichigo's hair is short, not long. And someone pointed out that Nemu shouldn't have wolverine like claws. I will fix that part and give her something like stingers, to better fit her resurrecion. Credit for Ichigo's first release description goes to the author of Tyrant lizard. SECOND release, is _mine_. Srry, i just didn't want anyone to steal the brilliant idea i had!**

**Any guesses as to what Ichigo's segunda etapa form is? Anyone?**

The door opened, and everyone turned to look at the two figures that now entered. Ichigo felt his body move of its own accord, unconsciously shielding Nemu from view.

"Stay behind me, and not a word unless I say otherwise." He whispered.

She nodded.

Grimmjow shifted his gaze as the two walked in.

"There he is."

Without speaking, Ichigo sat down. He took his customary seat between Nnoitra and Grimmjow, with Nemu standing silently behind him. Halibel inclined her head to the fraccion, and Nemu bowed quickly. Ulquiorra glanced at her, but she soon lost his interest. Aside from the lospided grin Yammy now wore, there weren't any other reactions.

Unfortunately, that did not mean her presence was not entirely well by everyone.

The strawberry almost immediately felt Barragan's iron stare on his back.

"Kurosaki, why did you bring your slave?"

Kurosaki refused to answer.

"What are you doing here, fraccion?" He rumbled at Nemu, good eye narrowing dangerously. "This is a place for the espada, not weaklings such as yourself."

Nemu did not answer him, she refused to even meet his glare. This only served to further irritate Barragan, due to his belief in male superiority. A vein now throbbed in his head. "I asked you a question! Answer me woman! You stupid bitch!"

Surprisingly, she did.

Her melancholy eyes hardened.

"Ichigo-sama, may I reply?"

He arched an eyebrow in surprise, but the small nod gave her permission to speak.

"You may."

Abruptly, she whirled on Barragan, using Mayuri's own words:

"_Shut up_, you worthless neanderthal! I am not interested in anything you have to say!"

Her words rang through the air.

Barragan's jaw dropped.

Grimmjow gave a low whistle.

"Damn. She's got _guts_."

Nnoitra chuckled, unable to disagree.

"She's got my vote." He laughed, clapping his hands in mirth.

Ichigo waved a hand dismissively, giving Barragan a sidelong look.

"There, she answered you. Now shut up and be quiet."

Aizen forbid the espada from battling, however, there was no such rule towards killing one's fraccion.

Therefore, Barragan was beyond furious and into hellfire and damnation. A woman had not only defied him, but publicly _humiliated_ him as well! She had actually managed to _shame _him! It was unacceptable. Someone needed to teach her that an espada was the most powerful hollow in Hueco Mundo, and that a mere fraccion stood no chance, no matter how powerful it was, or how big it talked. And that 'someone' was going to be him.

A silver spark traveled through the air, and everyone recognized the bala almost immediately.

"Begone wench!"

Nnoitra smirked at what was to come next, and Grimmjow almost felt bad for Barragan. Green eyes tripled as the blast arced out at her, clearly meant to kill.

"Annoying."

A white blur grabbed her by the waist, then yanked her sharply to one side, and away from the reaitsu. Seconds later, the far wall evaporated into rubble as the reishi hit it and crumbled.

Smoke and wind sprayed about, whipping at the espada's hair and clothes. Nemu wore a detached, yet startled look on her face, as her master swung her away in a spin, his right arm curled protectively about her body.

In a blur, he was gone again, a man in motion.

A hand grabbed Barragan's wrist.

"Teme....

Without a seconds thought, he sharply heaved him to the floor.

There was now a distinct difference in the room.

It was Ichigo.

His eyes had changed, and they sclera were now black, with yellow irises. His jaw was set in a grim line, now moving to speak slowly. "If _any_of you raise a hand against my fraccion, I will kill you, rip out your skull and spine, then use them both as a necklace!"

"I'm sure there is no need for that." Replied the calm voice of Aizen, as he Gin and Kaname appeared from the hall. "Your individual rank will be decided soon enough, after all-

He smiled in an amused fashion, when he saw that Barragan had yet to rise.

"But first, will you please clean yourself up, Barragan? It'd be quite humiliating for everyone to know that you think so highly of Ichigo to actually _bow_ before to him."

Ichigo leered evilly at Barragan, and resisted the urge to kick the elder espada in the ribs.

"You heard him, get your ass up."

As Barragan endured the humiliation of walking back to his seat, Aizen spoke again.

"To decide your ranks, I have decided we shall be civil about this. You will fight until the death, or until I tell you to stop."

"I like the sound of that." Grinned Ichigo.

"Same here." Replied Grimmjow, a feral smirk all but splitting his face.

"Both of you, shut up." Stark told them sleepily.

"If you beat me for the position of Primera you can tell me to shut up, until then you can't tell me to do shit!" Ichigo shot back.

--

There were a lot of fights left before the ranking of the Espada was complete. Nnoitra and Neliel had to fight for sixth, the loser becoming the seventh. Halibel and Grimmjow were fighting for fourth, the loser becoming fifth. Finally, Ichigo and Stark were fighting for first, the loser becoming second. The other positions had not quite been decided, with a feminine guy named Luppi facing Yammy for ninth, the loser getting tenth, and the freakish domed head espada known for making himself look like a certain shinigami, facing Barragan to actually keep his position as an espada .

The only other one who already had a number was Ulquiorra, with his second stage resurreccion he was stronger than either Grimmjow or Halibel, but he still wasn't strong enough to beat Ichigo or Stark, so Ulquiorra already had the number three tattooed onto his left pectoral.

At Ichigo's insistence, his fight came first.

Ichigo pulled out his sword. "Are you ready?"

"Not really, but we have to do this anyway, right?" Stark responded, pulling out his own sword.

The two of them stared at each other for a moment before they both blurred into action, blades bouncing off each other so fast that the individual strikes couldn't be seen or heard, only a continuous ringing sound indicated that they were even meeting in the cloud of steel.

After several seconds of impasse Ichigo jumped back. "Let's go into our released forms. Its no fun just hacking at each other."

"Fine." Stark said lazily. "It'll get the battle over with quicker."

Ichigo grinned, and brought Zangetsu up and around.

"You have no idea."

"Just hurry up and release."

"Do you mean my first sword, or my _second_?"

He waited for the words to sink in.

"Or perhaps both?"

Stark blinked, then his eyes narrowed.

_'Second? Surely he's bluffing.'_

"Oh? You don't believe me?" Mocked Ichigo, a superior tone in his voice, for he was now about to reveal something, _very _surprising. Sucking in a deep breath of air, he stabbed one hand into his shoulder. Everyone gasped, but Ichigo just cackled darkly.

"I'll start with the first."

Before anyone could react, he raked his nails across the flat of Zangetsu.

"SLAUGHTER!" He roared! "ZANGETSU!"

**"YES!" **She laughed in his mind, and vanished in a pillar of red!

Ichigo's released form stepped out. Red plates of bone armor covered his entire form. His three tails were nearly twice as long as he was tall, and all of them were tipped by a spike. There were four spines on each shoulder. Blades ran along his forearms, thin at the wrist, widening as they went back. The base ended at the elbow, but the blade continued up to his shoulder. His hands were larger, and the last digit of his fingers were claws. His legs ended in three large toes with a smaller one where his heel would be, all toes tipped by claws.

The mask fragment had dissolved, but red striped tattoos covered the left side of his face. His hair had grown longer, reaching his shoulder-blades. He smiled, showing his enlarged canine teeth, which now resembled fangs.

He now reached to his shoulder blade.

A black hilt sprang out of his flesh.

"And the second." He grinned.

With a wicked squelching sound, he now pulled out a wicked looking blade. Its guard was a full crescent edge, and the weapon itself had ornate decorations about its hilt and handle, even with a black pommel dangling from the blood red hilt. The blade itself had an edge like smooth flowing fire, as its color was an intricate mix of orangish red.

"Okosu: Hinotohime." **(Wake up, goddess of fire)**

Fire began to lick at his arms, and before long the aura was in full effect.

Stark wasn't looking bored now.

"I see. In that case-

The blade itself began to glow a deep, ominous black.

"Gekido: Doragon." **(Rage: Dragon)**

A rush of wind and sand, then he stood, transformed.

Nemu covered her face, as did all the other arrancar.

Long wings of deep white scales now drooped from his back, whilst his pupils had become slitted. His face was now hidden withing the open skull mouth mask of a dragon, and like Ichigo, he had a tail, but it was singular, with a black tip at its pallid edge.

"This will end with one blow."

Ichigo smirked.

"Is that all? I wanted to end it too, but if _she_ wants to drag our fight out," He rolled his shoulders in a shrug. "Then who am to disagree with _her_?" He was referring to his zanpaktou.

Aizen arched an eyebrow.

"This should be interesting."

Everyone looked on as Ichigo spoke one more word.

"Incinerate."

Contrary to before, a pillar of _fire _now consumed the espada. Almost immediately, the hundred foot dome or so began to compress itself into a shape, taking the form of Ichigo's final state.

**"This is my segunda etapa."** The smoke began to clear. Through it, could be seen a blade, and a white hand, but aside from that, nothing else was divulged in the thick black fog.

Had this fight been within Las Noches, the castle would've crumbled to dust.

And a being the likes of which the world had never seen was now revealed.

Nemu blinked, stunned and speechless.

"Sugoi...

Grimmjow gaped at what he saw.

"Holy...

"Shit." Finished Nnoitra with a small smirk. "Who woulda thought the gaki was hiding something like _that_?"

Neliel shook her head sadly.

"Such beauty, yet such bloodlust....

"Its...terrifying." Commented Halibel. "

Everyone else was too stunned to comment on the powerful entity before them.

Stark could only look on in annoyance.

_'This one's more compact than the last. Probably faster too...._

A bead of sweat ran down his brow.

_'This might get...rough.'_

**"Are you ready now, Stark?" **Purred the voice from the darkness. **"Because I know I am." **A pair of bare feet were seen, then the overwhelming reaitsu pressed down on his shoulders.

The twister of fand pared to reveal black sclera, yellow irises, and a long mane of orange hair.

** "Ready to kick your ass!"**

**You'll have to wait until next time to see what it is!**


	4. The True Power of Espada

**"Are you ready _now_, Stark?" **Purred the voice from the darkness, redish dark sparks still dancing in the vortex the void had created. Flames licked at the sands, turning it to glass in some areas, while cratering others.

A bolt of red lightning shot past Stark's cheek, grazing him, but only barely, as he used Sonido to dodge. Yet it drew blood, and everyone had to drop flat to the sands, just to avoid the miniature nuke. **"**I know I am."A pair of bare feet were seen, then the overwhelming reaitsu pressed down on his shoulders.

"Ready for what?" Asked the espada, standing, but now with a small effort.

The twister of sand parted like a curtain to reveal black sclera, yellow irises, a long mane of orange hair....

And a smirk.

"_I'm_ ready...

The figure began to emerge from the smoke clearly, taking its time. Bare feet padded lightly against the sands, and the fog began to part before the figure.

As if by a silent command, an ominous wind blew the sand and smoke away.

**(Background music:Bleach OST #26 - Invasion)**

"To kick your _ass_!"

In Ichigo's place, was someone else entirely. The blade was now a long black odachi, with a small chain dangling from its black wrapped hilt. It was a long katana, and it was extremely sharp, judging by _that_ edge.

"Okosu Tensa, my hime." **(Wake up, my fierce cutting princess)** The entity whispered softly, and the blade glowed softly in response. A sense of satisfaction filled her, stemming from both her own pride, and that of the zanpaktou.

The mask fragment lined her head like a crown, similar to Barragan's but it only rested on her head. It had six points instead of five, and there was also a necklace of teeth dangling around her neck, akin to that of Zommari, who frowned at the mockery of it all. Lastly, there were two horns extending from the sides of the head. **(The horns are the one's that Ichigo had in manga chapter 351)**

The face had become a mix of Zangetsu and his own. And the individual's outfit was now a black version of his regular attire, mirroring that of Zangetsu herself, but with the chest let out in a style alike that of Neliel's outfit. True, her breasts were exposed somewhat, but neither were they openly spilling out. Her face was smooth and calm, and it was soon seen that the rest of her was even paler than Ulquiorra's skin, a pure, flawless white.

As said before, was particularly well endowed, and outdid both Halibel, Neliel, and even Nemu in her beauty. There was a savage, sophisticated air about this woman, and it was clear to see that she meant business.

Oh yes, the being was _distinctly_ female, and she was a deadly_,_ bloodthirsty_, bitch_.

Stark frowned, unable to believe his eyes.

"Kurosaki, what did you _do_?"

The entity smirked, and her voice was that of an angel. "What did I do?" However, it had a condescending, mocking tone to it, as if she saw him to be beneath her. "I've merged with my zanpaktou. Its a simple process actually, but since you're too lazy to release your sword, and this is only your second time doing so, you probably don't even know _how_ to do it."

She cast a glance to Ulquiorra.

"Oi! I forgot to thank you for teaching me this!"

The tercera espada shrugged his shoulders lightly.

"Think nothing of it."

She looked back to Stark, and held up the blade, its chain clinking lightly."You see... She caressed a hand lovingly over its wicked edge, and surprisingly, did not come away bleeding. In fact, her power abruptly increased to _twice_ of what it had been before. "Zangetsu and I have gotten _really_ close during the last two weeks. She's as much a part of me now, as I am of her. There isn't a single aspect of her that I don't love and cherish."

Nemu winced, at Ichigo's choice of words.

Aizen frowned slightly, but at the power Ichigo was now exuding.

At this rate, Stark might be in trouble.

"Segunda etapa can only be achieved by those arrancar who harmonize with their zanpaktou." The unamed woman continued. "Ulquiorra realized this before I did. This soul cutter, is not merely a representation of our former selves, like a shinigami's it is part of our _soul_."

The arrancar all gasped, and some of them even stared down at their blades.

"Yer soul?" Even Grimmjow was surprised by this. He now looked down at Pantera, unconciously brushing the hilt and guard with both his middle and pointer finger-

_Of course gaki! _Boomed a masculine voice in his head, so loud, so fierce, that the panther cringed, if only slightly. _Did you really think I was a mere katana?!_

_"Shit! He wasn't kidding!"_

_Well, this isn't particularly news to us, is it Nnoitra? _Purred Santa Teresa in the mind of Nnoitra Jiruga. He grinned his infamous toothy grin, the one that often struck fear into the hearts of his enemies and allies alike.

_"Damn, his release is better than mine..._

"I was suspicious when Ulqui pulled out his second form." She traced every smooth line of the blade, smiling softly as her hand ran down the guard, and squeezed gently the soft, silken wrapped hilt. "When I came to him about it, he revealed the true nature of his transformation."

She cradled the blade like a mother would her most precious child. Or as best as one could cradle a deadly weapon capable of vaporizing Las Noches in an instant. "We use this body, because it is what _she_ wants. It is the true form of our devotion to one another. I do not argue with her I do not resist her help, and in turn, she grants me her power." The peaceful visage morphed into a scowl.

"Zangetsu and I are fighting as _one_ entity. Together, we are more powerful then any mere resurrecion could ever possibly be." The ground felt like an ocean of reishi, unseen, swirling overhead, waiting to be released. "And because I am _her_, and she is _me_, that is why we will defeat you! That is why you will lose today!"

The red sparks coalesced into the blade. She brought it back and swung, the motion too fast for him to even see. By the time he did register the movements, a dark wave of crescent reishi was hurtling towards him, tearing up the sands in its wake.

Every instinct in Stark's body _screamed _for him to move, but he simply wasn't fast enough, despite being in his released state. But he still attempted to dodge-

And that was what did him in.

"Aw, don't run away! I wanna have some fun with you!"

A hand on his shoulder caused him to stiffen, and his sonido didn't take him to the left, as he had expected it too. Ichigo was now behind him, grinning like the devil she was.

Even as the first crescent tore towards them, she raised the blade high.

"Getsuga Tenshou!"

And brought it down, just as the first collided with the two of them.

When the smoke cleared, Stark was down, a puddle of his own blood pooling beneath him. Ichigo looked up to Aizen, and flashed him the peace sign.

"Ichigo Kurosaki is hereby given the rank of Primera espada, and Stark is now the segunda espada." Declared Aizen as the medics ran out to treat Stark and his wounds. It wasn't fatal, despite how much damage had been done.

He'd live.

Getsuga Tensho was Ichigo's newest trick, and it was still somewhat uncontrollable. He'd have to work on it some more with Zangetsu, before he could maximize its full power.

Until then, he'd have to deal with Stark's lazy attitude.

At least he was the winner now.

Smirking, he released the resurrecion, and sealed Zangetsu back into her regular state. His body returned to normal as well. And with the transformation dispelled, Ichigo now used sonido to get back up to his fellows, and sat down next to Nemu.

"You're up." He said to the next two combatants.

Next up was Neliel vs Nnoitra.

The lanky espada grinned toothily, despite Neliel's almost bored look.

_'Payback time Bitch!'_


	5. Rankings Prt 1

**Please review Neon-san's 'Loss' fic! He's made Naruto almost exactly like Zaraki in that one, but he has a different girl sitting on his shoulder! Don't you think chibi Nanao is so _cute_? Also... i have the permission of Tyrant Lizard's author to use what i already have! So please stop being so mean!**

Nnoitra was down on the sand in a blink of an eye, before his opponent, agruably one of the most _beautiful_ arrancar next to Halibel and Nemu, could even take the slightest of steps.

"C'mon!" He called up to her. "Let's get this show started!"

Neliel arched a viridian eyebrow in slight surprise.

"Your speed as improved."

In a silent blur of static, she joined him down below seconds later.

"You're wrong." He grinned toothily. Teresa's chain jangled slightly as he hefted it over his shoulder. Its single crescent gleamed in the perpetual moonlight, casting an almost horned appearance over his shadow.

"Oh?" She replied, with an almost disinterested look, her tone not _quite_ condescending, but bored, almost as if fighting him was a waste of her time.

"My speed isn't the only thing that's improved." His visible eye danced with manic glee, and Santa Teresa crashed into the sand, creating a small crater in a nearby dune. "There's no way yer gonna beat me this time, Neliel!

"You intend to win this time?"

"Of course!"

"And just how do you intend to do this?" A mildly intrigued look reflected in her hazel eyes, and the almost bored tone lessened somewhat, if not for a moment. "Enlighten me."

He stuck out his tongue.

"Ya'll have to find out yaself."

"I'd rather not." She replied coolly, the icy tone back in her voice again, her forefinger lightly stroking the pale green hilt of her blade. "It'd be much easier if you just told me what to expect."

That look made Nnoitra lose what little self control he possesed.

"SHADDAP! Why do ya always got act so high and mighty ta me?!"

"I haven't the slightest idea of what you're talking about."

"There it is again!" He snarled, jabbing a finger at her.

"I have a reason."

"So do I! I hate you!"

"That is not a reason.

"Then spill it!"

"It's simple."Gamuza didn't make even the slightest of sounds, as she drew it from her pale sheathe. It was a long, elegant blade, and even though Ichigo knew it couldn't _possibly _compare to his Zangetsu...

He was rather impressed.

"Its because you're an animal, Nnoitra." Answered the espada, pointing the tip of her zanpaktou towards him. "I follow you around merely for the sake of Aizen-sama, to make sure you don't get yourself killed."

Nnoitra stared at her for a second, unable to believe what he had just heard. His mouth worked silently, and a veins began to throb in his forehead. Oh yes, those words had struck home, deeper than any blade possibly could.

Ichigo smirked, counting the seconds to the explosion.

"Wait for it...

Then the twister of yellow reaitsu exploded into the air, followed by a fierce shout.

"WHAT?!"

Santa Teresa came down like a hammer, but Gamuza swatted her away like a fly. That in itself staggered Nnoitra back a step, and in doing so, Neliel pushed off the blade-

And delivered a violent kick that catapaulted him across the dunes. He clamored up and gripped Teresa with such force that a cracking sound could now be heard.

"Bitch...

"When we become hollows, we lose our rationality." Replied Neliel, entirely unfazed by the energy he was emitting. "By becoming arrancar, our sanity returns, and we think logically. You however, lack this reason. Even Ichigo and Grimmjow have some sensibility. Yet you do not. You crave and lust for battle, as if it is your sole purpose in the life."

Grimmjow and Ichigo both winced as the two traded blows, with Nel winning quite handily. If anything, Nnoitra was only making a fool of himself. "Ouch, she's an ice queen, this Neliel."

Tesla winced as a sharp spike of reaitsu was felt. "That's it! I'm gonna kick yer ass!" It was enough to make him close both eyes in mild fear. "Those two... seem to have some bad blood between them."

"Ya might say that." Answered Grimmjow, leaning forward slightly, anxious for his turn to fight Halibel, rather than sit on the sidelines and watch everyone else fight. "She kicked his ass back when we were adjuchas, and he's been spoilin' for a fight ever since."

"Think he'll win?" Asked Ichigo, glancing towards Nemu.

She hadn't expected him to adress her, and as such, started.

"N-Nani?"

His eyes narrowed slightly.

"Don't 'what' me. You can identify reaitsu levels, can't ya?" She nodded meekly in reponse.

"Then take a look at them, and tell me who's _stronger_."

Nemu knelt to the ground, and pressed a finger to it-

And jerked back in surprise.

"The're even." She whispered. "Dead even."

Pesche frowned. "Neliel-sama will win."

Dondochakka nodded in agreement. "She has more experience, more reiatsu-

Ichigo fixed him with a glare.

"Shaddap. Both of you. I kicked your asses then, and I can sure as hell do it now." After a moment, Pesche and Dondochakka went silent, wisely choosing not to press their luck.

But they still believed _their _friend would win.

"I said, do ya think Nnoitra will win?" Pressed the strawberry blond, returning his attention to his _own_ fraccion.

Nemu paused for a second, and seemed to stare intently into space. In reality, she was peering at Nnoitra and Neliel. Nnoitra seemed to exude a dark gold aura, and Neliel was emitting a violet energy as well, but it was difficult to keep track of their high speed movements.

They were more blurs than anything by this point, and she could only track that much due to her advanced Pesquia.

They weren't going all out that, this much she could still tell.

"Maybe... I can't be sure, Ichigo-sa-

He fixed her a glare.

"What did I tell you?"

She flushed darkly.

"Suimasen, K-Kurosaki-kun."

Everyone arched an eyebrow at this, and the poor thing turned a deep, vibrant pink. Right now, with so many eyes staring at her, she wanted to shrink away into nothingness. The desire to run as far as possilbe was oh so tempting.

It was only her loyalty to her new master than kept her rooted in place.

"Nemu."

"H-Hai?" She was finding it difficult to stand, due to the suffocating reishi Nnoitra was emanating. It didn't really affect _him_, but the power certainly seemed to be taking its toll on _her_.

"Sit." He patted a spot beside himself, but never once looked at her. He was focused solely on the battle, and nothing else. He spoke again, and though he did not look at her, he was concerned.

"You will be training with me tommorow." He reminded her simply, even showing enough concern to meet and hold her gaze for a second, before she was the one to look aways. "Therefore, don't strain yourself, and just rest for now."

She did as she was told, and sat down next to him.

"Ano...Kurosaki-kun?"

"What?" He replied, watching as Neliel came at Nnoitra from above, but now he was the one to sidestep, using Sonido to escape her aerial assault.

"That transformation, why did you turn into a girl?" The naievete of it irked him, and for a moment, she thought he would not deign to answer her. When he did speak, his tone was calm, yet deadly.

"Why are you asking me this?"

"Are you touched in the head?" He grumbled under his breath, before launching into a less complex explination. "Try asking your Zanpaktou its name."

A puzzle expression in those green eyes.

"But I already know it-

"Do it, that's an order!" He barked, and she winced in fear.

_Do not mind him, child. _Soothed a soft voice, that of a young woman. _He is not used to having company_. _He'll warm up to you soon enough, he merely needs time._ Nemu appeared visibly shaken, and Ichigo's annoyance faded as her thin blade abruptly took the shape of something else entirely.

Ashisogi Jizō now transformed into a deformed trident with curved, serpentine blades and a guard shaped like a baby's head all mounted on the sword's normal hilt.

"I take that form, because I've swallowed my pride." He tapped the massive cleaver on his back. Yammy and Luppi snickered, and he shot them both a withering glare. "Granted, I don't really _like _transforming into a chick everytime I wanna fight seriously, but the power makes up for it."

He raised a hand for silence when she was about to speak again.

"Sh, watch."

--

Nnoitra _howled _as he slashed down at the woman who tormented him so.

"Die!"

For what seemed to be the millionth time, Santa Teresa could not find her mark.

Neliel didn't even bother using Sonido now. She was nimbly and effectively sidestepping his rapid swings, all the while being forced back, seemingly unware of the wall...

Until she blurred behind him.

For a second, just a _second_, Nnoitra lost his focus. Her stance was strong and firm, clearly a defensive one. She wanted him to come to her. Her body, well endowed even for an arrancar, caught his eye, but just for a second. An ominous wind, blew through her hair, and it seemed to shimmer in the moonlight, the long teal bangs falling just over her left eye, only to be brushed away by a delicate, dainty hand.

"Too slow!" Her words jerked him out of the daze he momentarily fell into.

And then that _dainty_ hand, smacked him upside the head with a one-two bala enhanced punch.

Santa Teresa crashed into the space she had just occupied, but by then, Neliel had already gotten behind him again. "Damnit!" He hissed, as he saw the greenish white blur. But by then the long gash of blood blossomed on Nnoitra's back, causing his eye to widen in surprise.

"She _cut_ him." Observed Grimmjow.

"That's impressive." Answered Ichigo. "His hierro is only slightly weaker than mine, and even though he hasn't released yet, she still got him pretty damn good."

Nnoitra was now pressed onto the defensive, and Santa Teresa was just as frustrated as her master. By now, he was using the pole just to ward her off, and even then, she was getting through, nine times out of ten.

_Lets_ go _Nnoitra! Release me, and we'll kick her ass!_

_"Not yet!" _He insisted, opening his mouth-

_IDIOT! _She cried, but by then it was far too late.

Nel stood unflinchingly, determined eyes watching the cero blast rocket through the air until it was about to engulf her whole. She held up her simple green zanpaktou and opened her mouth wide.

Much to everybody's surprise, Nel ate Noitora's cero _whole_. She paused just long enough to see the fear register in her combatant's eyes before spitting out her own cero blast. Ichigo was mystifiedat this unique ability. Nel's power was substantially greater than he had anticipated.

It was almost a _shame_ that she was an espada.

She'd would've made a fine fraccion...

A glance to Nemu now, and a shark-like smile tugged at his face

_'Perhaps I will go see if Aizen's made any new numeros..._

He'd already found one gem, what possible trouble could there be in finding another?

However, he silently swore to himself that three would be his limit. No higher than that, or he wouldn't be able to evaluate their abilities, let alone train them properly.

A blinding flash of light with at least twice the magnitude and velocity of Noitora's attack consumed the espada with a loud explosion. A mushroom cloud of sand and smoke erupted into the air, and all was still.

"I....

Nnoitra's scythe whipped out of the smoke, and Ichigo observed a change in it. Now, the first crescent was tipped down. Atop it lay another crescent moon, but its edge pointed upward, and into the heavens.

"I'm the...

"STRONGEST!" He howled, as the saffron light burst into existence!

"Inori: Santa Teresa!"

His form exploded into the golden brillaince, almost immeidiately, he felt its effects.

Surprisingly, he stepped out, a look of grim determination set in his eye. His arms moved impossibly fast, decending from four different angles, all once.

And for the the first time that fight, _he_ drew blood.

It was only a slight cut across the cheek, but a cut nonetheless.

Nnoitra stepped out in his released form.

"Now, lets have some fun!"

Neliel frowned, raised her blade up.

"Declare-

She was about to release, then something changed her mind, judging by the slight widening of her hazel eyes, then a slight frown. She lowered the now glowing blade, and the violet hue faded.

She slid it back into her sheathe, then shook her head.

"I refuse. You can have the rank."

Nnoitra could not believe his eyes, nor could he now trust his ears. She just...gave up? Was she scared of him, afraid to fight him? No, that couldn't be it, it just didn't make sense.

"Nnoitra Jiruga is now the sexta espada." Declared Aizen. "Our next bout shall be with Yammy and Luppi, to decide whom deserves the rank od novena espada."

Unable to comprehend what had just happened, Nnoitra sealed his powers, and walked back up to the podium. As he did, he shot Neliel a venemous glance.

"You-

She did something rare, just then.

She _smiled, _took a slight step forward, now practically raping his personal space. Silently, she pushed his hand, which now grasped tightly Teresa's pole, down.

"You will have your chance later, Nnoitra."

The sexta espada wore a gobsmacked expression.

When it was clear that he wasn't going to try anything, she continued:

"Perhaps would like to join Pesche, Dondochakka and I for dinner?"

Nnoitra's visible eyebrow shot up, his eye widening slightly in surprise, His mouth worked silently for a moment, his mind unable to comprehend the exasperating situation.

At last, he managed: "Eh?"

It was all Ichigo and Grimmjow could do to not burst out laughing.

And then Neliel turned to them as well.

"Would the two of you care to join us?"

They both blinked in surprise, as the friendly gesture.

"Pfft." Managed Ichigo, trying to act cool, even as his stomach growled. "Depends on what yer havin."

Luppi rolled his eyes, and jumped down to the sand.

Yammy landed with a heavy thud now, and Ichigo leaned forward.

"I'm takin Luppi on this one."

"No way." Retorted Grimmjow. "Yammy's got em beat when it comes to strength!"

"Strength alone does not guarrantee victory, Grimmjow." Replied Halibel. The panther hissed angrily at her, before returning his attention back to the fight.

_"When the hell is it my turn?!"_

Luppi had released, and was currently beating the shit out of Yammy.

Until he made the mistake of mocking him.

And then the brutish espada had the time to get his zanpaktou out.

Faster than the eye could blink, Luppi lost one of his tentacles. Violet eyes went wide as the dismembered appendage flopped to the ground, writhing in a small puddle of black blood.

Yammy's grin was wide and broad, much like the rest of him.

"Ha! Take that-

He jammed the blade into the ground, then clasped his hands together.

"And THIS!"

A dim orange glow shimmered around him, and the sand began to fluctuate in the wind he was creating. He parted his hands, and took up the blade, holding it high into the air-

Just as he declared:

"Thrash: Monico!" **(Lord of the Apes)**

He was lost in the explosion of orange reaitsu...

**IF Ichigo gets two more fraccion, then you'll be surprised at their identity. I'll just hint at the fact that Aizen has been working on some 'copies' of certain female shinigami. And the visored make their appearance next chappy! Review please!**


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